diff --git a/src/agent/create.ts b/src/agent/create.ts
index 10f2642..8217832 100644
--- a/src/agent/create.ts
+++ b/src/agent/create.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import type {
   AgentState,
   AgentType,
 } from "@letta-ai/letta-client/resources/agents/agents";
+import { DEFAULT_AGENT_NAME } from "../constants";
 import { getToolNames } from "../tools/manager";
 import { getClient } from "./client";
 import { getDefaultMemoryBlocks } from "./memory";
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@ export interface CreateAgentResult {
 }
 
 export async function createAgent(
-  name = "letta-code-agent",
+  name = DEFAULT_AGENT_NAME,
   model?: string,
   embeddingModel = "openai/text-embedding-3-small",
   updateArgs?: Record<string, unknown>,
diff --git a/src/cli/App.tsx b/src/cli/App.tsx
index 6f785f4..bd119e8 100644
--- a/src/cli/App.tsx
+++ b/src/cli/App.tsx
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ import { Input } from "./components/InputRich";
 import { MemoryViewer } from "./components/MemoryViewer";
 import { MessageSearch } from "./components/MessageSearch";
 import { ModelSelector } from "./components/ModelSelector";
+import { PinDialog, validateAgentName } from "./components/PinDialog";
 import { PlanModeDialog } from "./components/PlanModeDialog";
 import { ProfileSelector } from "./components/ProfileSelector";
 import { QuestionDialog } from "./components/QuestionDialog";
@@ -407,10 +408,14 @@ export default function App({
     | "subagent"
     | "feedback"
     | "memory"
+    | "pin"
     | null;
   const [activeOverlay, setActiveOverlay] = useState<ActiveOverlay>(null);
   const closeOverlay = useCallback(() => setActiveOverlay(null), []);
 
+  // Pin dialog state
+  const [pinDialogLocal, setPinDialogLocal] = useState(false);
+
   // Derived: check if any selector/overlay is open (blocks queue processing and hides input)
   const anySelectorOpen = activeOverlay !== null;
 
@@ -1886,6 +1891,23 @@ export default function App({
             return { submitted: true };
           }
 
+          // Validate the name before sending to API
+          const validationError = validateAgentName(newName);
+          if (validationError) {
+            const cmdId = uid("cmd");
+            buffersRef.current.byId.set(cmdId, {
+              kind: "command",
+              id: cmdId,
+              input: msg,
+              output: validationError,
+              phase: "finished",
+              success: false,
+            });
+            buffersRef.current.order.push(cmdId);
+            refreshDerived();
+            return { submitted: true };
+          }
+
           const cmdId = uid("cmd");
           buffersRef.current.byId.set(cmdId, {
             kind: "command",
@@ -2091,6 +2113,29 @@ export default function App({
 
         // Special handling for /pin command - pin current agent to project (or globally with -g)
         if (msg.trim() === "/pin" || msg.trim().startsWith("/pin ")) {
+          const argsStr = msg.trim().slice(4).trim();
+
+          // Parse args to check if name was provided
+          const parts = argsStr.split(/\s+/).filter(Boolean);
+          let hasNameArg = false;
+          let isLocal = false;
+
+          for (const part of parts) {
+            if (part === "-l" || part === "--local") {
+              isLocal = true;
+            } else {
+              hasNameArg = true;
+            }
+          }
+
+          // If no name provided, show the pin dialog
+          if (!hasNameArg) {
+            setPinDialogLocal(isLocal);
+            setActiveOverlay("pin");
+            return { submitted: true };
+          }
+
+          // Name was provided, use existing behavior
           const profileCtx: ProfileCommandContext = {
             buffersRef,
             refreshDerived,
@@ -2099,7 +2144,6 @@ export default function App({
             setCommandRunning,
             setAgentName,
           };
-          const argsStr = msg.trim().slice(4).trim();
           await handlePin(profileCtx, msg, argsStr);
           return { submitted: true };
         }
@@ -4086,6 +4130,74 @@ Plan file path: ${planFilePath}`;
               />
             )}
 
+            {/* Pin Dialog - for naming agent before pinning */}
+            {activeOverlay === "pin" && (
+              <PinDialog
+                currentName={agentName || ""}
+                local={pinDialogLocal}
+                onSubmit={async (newName) => {
+                  closeOverlay();
+                  setCommandRunning(true);
+
+                  const cmdId = uid("cmd");
+                  const scopeText = pinDialogLocal
+                    ? "to this project"
+                    : "globally";
+                  const displayName =
+                    newName || agentName || agentId.slice(0, 12);
+
+                  buffersRef.current.byId.set(cmdId, {
+                    kind: "command",
+                    id: cmdId,
+                    input: "/pin",
+                    output: `Pinning "${displayName}" ${scopeText}...`,
+                    phase: "running",
+                  });
+                  buffersRef.current.order.push(cmdId);
+                  refreshDerived();
+
+                  try {
+                    const client = await getClient();
+
+                    // Rename if new name provided
+                    if (newName && newName !== agentName) {
+                      await client.agents.update(agentId, { name: newName });
+                      setAgentName(newName);
+                    }
+
+                    // Pin the agent
+                    if (pinDialogLocal) {
+                      settingsManager.pinLocal(agentId);
+                    } else {
+                      settingsManager.pinGlobal(agentId);
+                    }
+
+                    buffersRef.current.byId.set(cmdId, {
+                      kind: "command",
+                      id: cmdId,
+                      input: "/pin",
+                      output: `Pinned "${newName || agentName || agentId.slice(0, 12)}" ${scopeText}.`,
+                      phase: "finished",
+                      success: true,
+                    });
+                  } catch (error) {
+                    buffersRef.current.byId.set(cmdId, {
+                      kind: "command",
+                      id: cmdId,
+                      input: "/pin",
+                      output: `Failed to pin: ${error}`,
+                      phase: "finished",
+                      success: false,
+                    });
+                  } finally {
+                    setCommandRunning(false);
+                    refreshDerived();
+                  }
+                }}
+                onCancel={closeOverlay}
+              />
+            )}
+
             {/* Plan Mode Dialog - for ExitPlanMode tool */}
             {currentApproval?.toolName === "ExitPlanMode" && (
               <>
diff --git a/src/cli/components/PinDialog.tsx b/src/cli/components/PinDialog.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f1562c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cli/components/PinDialog.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,199 @@
+import { Box, Text, useInput } from "ink";
+import { useState } from "react";
+import { DEFAULT_AGENT_NAME } from "../../constants";
+import { colors } from "./colors";
+import { PasteAwareTextInput } from "./PasteAwareTextInput";
+
+interface PinDialogProps {
+  currentName: string;
+  local: boolean;
+  onSubmit: (newName: string | null) => void; // null means keep current name
+  onCancel: () => void;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Validate agent name against backend rules.
+ * Matches: Unicode letters, digits, underscores, spaces, hyphens, apostrophes
+ * Blocks: / \ : * ? " < > |
+ */
+export function validateAgentName(name: string): string | null {
+  if (!name || !name.trim()) {
+    return "Name cannot be empty";
+  }
+
+  const trimmed = name.trim();
+
+  // Match backend regex: ^[\w '-]+$ with unicode
+  // \w matches Unicode letters, digits, and underscores
+  // We also allow spaces, hyphens, and apostrophes
+  const validPattern = /^[\w '-]+$/u;
+
+  if (!validPattern.test(trimmed)) {
+    return "Name contains invalid characters. Only letters, digits, spaces, hyphens, underscores, and apostrophes are allowed.";
+  }
+
+  if (trimmed.length > 100) {
+    return "Name is too long (max 100 characters)";
+  }
+
+  return null;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check if the name is the default Letta Code agent name.
+ */
+export function isDefaultAgentName(name: string): boolean {
+  return name === DEFAULT_AGENT_NAME;
+}
+
+export function PinDialog({
+  currentName,
+  local,
+  onSubmit,
+  onCancel,
+}: PinDialogProps) {
+  const isDefault = isDefaultAgentName(currentName);
+  const [mode, setMode] = useState<"choose" | "input">(
+    isDefault ? "input" : "choose",
+  );
+  const [nameInput, setNameInput] = useState("");
+  const [selectedOption, setSelectedOption] = useState(0);
+  const [error, setError] = useState("");
+
+  const scopeText = local ? "to this project" : "globally";
+
+  useInput((input, key) => {
+    if (key.escape) {
+      if (mode === "input" && !isDefault) {
+        // Go back to choose mode
+        setMode("choose");
+        setError("");
+      } else {
+        onCancel();
+      }
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (mode === "choose") {
+      if (input === "j" || key.downArrow) {
+        setSelectedOption((prev) => Math.min(prev + 1, 1));
+      } else if (input === "k" || key.upArrow) {
+        setSelectedOption((prev) => Math.max(prev - 1, 0));
+      } else if (key.return) {
+        if (selectedOption === 0) {
+          // Keep current name
+          onSubmit(null);
+        } else {
+          // Change name
+          setMode("input");
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  });
+
+  const handleNameSubmit = (text: string) => {
+    const trimmed = text.trim();
+    const validationError = validateAgentName(trimmed);
+
+    if (validationError) {
+      setError(validationError);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    onSubmit(trimmed);
+  };
+
+  // Input-only mode for default names
+  if (isDefault || mode === "input") {
+    return (
+      <Box flexDirection="column" paddingY={1}>
+        <Box marginBottom={1}>
+          <Text color={colors.approval.header} bold>
+            {isDefault ? "Name your agent" : "Rename your agent"}
+          </Text>
+        </Box>
+
+        {isDefault && (
+          <Box marginBottom={1}>
+            <Text dimColor>
+              Give your agent a memorable name before pinning {scopeText}.
+            </Text>
+          </Box>
+        )}
+
+        <Box flexDirection="column" marginBottom={1}>
+          <Box marginBottom={1}>
+            <Text>Enter a name:</Text>
+          </Box>
+          <Box>
+            <Text color={colors.approval.header}>&gt; </Text>
+            <PasteAwareTextInput
+              value={nameInput}
+              onChange={(val) => {
+                setNameInput(val);
+                setError("");
+              }}
+              onSubmit={handleNameSubmit}
+              placeholder={isDefault ? "e.g., my-coding-agent" : currentName}
+            />
+          </Box>
+        </Box>
+
+        {error && (
+          <Box marginBottom={1}>
+            <Text color="red">{error}</Text>
+          </Box>
+        )}
+
+        <Box>
+          <Text dimColor>
+            Press Enter to confirm {!isDefault && "• Esc to go back"}
+            {isDefault && "• Esc to cancel"}
+          </Text>
+        </Box>
+      </Box>
+    );
+  }
+
+  // Choice mode for custom names
+  return (
+    <Box flexDirection="column" paddingY={1}>
+      <Box marginBottom={1}>
+        <Text color={colors.approval.header} bold>
+          Pin agent {scopeText}
+        </Text>
+      </Box>
+
+      <Box marginBottom={1}>
+        <Text dimColor>
+          Would you like to keep the current name or change it?
+        </Text>
+      </Box>
+
+      <Box flexDirection="column" marginBottom={1}>
+        {[
+          { label: `Keep name "${currentName}"`, value: "keep" },
+          { label: "Change name", value: "change" },
+        ].map((option, index) => {
+          const isSelected = index === selectedOption;
+          return (
+            <Box key={option.value} flexDirection="row">
+              <Box width={2} flexShrink={0}>
+                <Text color={isSelected ? colors.approval.header : undefined}>
+                  {isSelected ? ">" : " "}
+                </Text>
+              </Box>
+              <Text color={isSelected ? colors.approval.header : undefined}>
+                {index + 1}. {option.label}
+              </Text>
+            </Box>
+          );
+        })}
+      </Box>
+
+      <Box>
+        <Text dimColor>↑↓/jk to select • Enter to confirm • Esc to cancel</Text>
+      </Box>
+    </Box>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/constants.ts b/src/constants.ts
index 3d73772..964cb02 100644
--- a/src/constants.ts
+++ b/src/constants.ts
@@ -6,3 +6,8 @@
  * Default model ID to use when no model is specified
  */
 export const DEFAULT_MODEL_ID = "sonnet-4.5";
+
+/**
+ * Default agent name when creating a new agent
+ */
+export const DEFAULT_AGENT_NAME = "letta-code-agent";